Digging wheel structure



May 26, 1942. H. HOLLMANN ETAL 2,234,573;

DIGGING WHEEL STRUCTURE Filed April 4, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mat/11:0

May 26, 1942. H. HOLLMANN ETAL DIGG-ING WHEEL STRUCTURE Filed April 4, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Lll Patented May 26, 1942 DIGGING WHEEL STRUCTURE.

Hubert Hollmann and William G. Van Voorhis,

Findlay, Ohio, assignors to The Buckeye Traction Ditchcr Company, a corporation of Ohio Application April 4, 1940, Serial No. 327,800

6 Claims.

This invention relates to digging Wheels for trenching machines but more particularly to digging wheels of the type having laterally spaced substantially parallel rim portions having gear segments secured to the inner edge portions and to the outer edge portions of which are secured the digging buckets. The invention is concerned more particularly to the rim structures of such digging wheels and an object is to provide such rims with socket means to receive the buckets in such manner that liability of ledges, shoulders and other ofiset areas interiorally of the bucket are obviated, thereby militating against objectionable bridging of dirt within the bucket and facilitating the discharge of the dirt from the bucket.

Another object is to produce a new and improved rim and bucket assembly in which the rims are formed with spaced sockets so that corresponding sockets of the two rims are adapted to receive opposite edges of a bucket substantially in edge to edge relation and with the inner surface of the bucket substantially coextensive or aligned with the inner surface-of the adjacent rim. The interior walls of the bucket are so shaped that the discharge of dirt is facilitated.

A further object is to produce a digging wheel having bucket receiving sockets in which the sockets are formed by outwardly offsetting a portion of the rim a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the adjacent wall of the bucket.

A still further object of theinvention is to produce a digging wheel in which the rims are provided with bucket receiving sockets formed by lugs welded to the outer sides of the rims to enable the bucket to be disposed substantially in edge to edge relation with respect to the rim.

A still further object is to produce a digging wheel in which the rims have cut-cuts to receive the ends of the bucket in end to end relation with the bottom walls of the cut-outs, supporting members being fixed to the side of each rim through which extend fasteners for securing the buckets in place.

For purposes of illustration but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown on the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a digging wheel assembly, parts forming the connection between the digging wheel frame and the tractor unit be ing broken away;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of a portion of the rim and the adjacent bucket; H Q

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional elevation on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4' is a transverse sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of a portion of the rim structure and one of the buckets showing an alternate form of the invention;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional elevation on the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a sectional view substantially on the line I'l of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevation of a portion of a rim structure in which cut-outs are made to receive the side edges of the bucket so that the ends of each bucket are in end to end relation with the bottom wall of the cut-outs, plates being welded to the outside of each rim through which fasteners extend to hold the bucket in position;

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional elevation sub stantially on the line 9-9 of Figure 8; and

Figure 10 is a sectional View substantially on the line IIl-I0 of Figure 8.

The illustrated embodiment 9f the invention comprises a digging wheel A which is supported by a frame work B having equidistantly spaced supporting rollers C and a driving gear D. The frame B is carried by frame bars E which are connected in any suitable or desired manner to the main tractor frame (not shown) and from which power is transmitted in any suitable manner to the driving gear D. The digging wheel A includes an annular series of excavating buckets II] which discharge their load successively upon a suitable conveyor F which carries the dirt and discharges it laterally of the wheel.

The digging wheel is made up of a pair of laterally spaced substantially parallel metal rims I I to which the buckets I0 are secured. Secured by bolts or rivets I2 to the inner edge portion and on the outer side of each rim is a gear segment I3 carrying an arcuate series of spaced lugs or teeth I4 which are engaged by the gears D for imparting rotary movement to the digging wheel. At the lower edge of the gear segment I3 is an inwardly extending flange I5 which overlaps the inner edge of the rim II and provides an engaging surface for the rollers C, a series of these segments being employed.

In accordance with this invention, the outer V nected to the main body by an inwardly curved portion 18. The offset portion I6 is somewhat longer than the length of the bucket which it receives and the sides of each offset incline inwardly, as indicated at I9, to the body of the rim. Such offset portions provide sockets for receiving opposite edge portions of a bucket Iii. As indicated on Figure 3, the ofiset portion I6 extends outwardly from the body of the rim a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the adjacent wall of the bucket 10 so that the inner surface of each bucket is substantially in alignment and approximately coextensive with the inner surface of the adjacent rim ll there being a slight space between the extreme edge of the bucket and the aligned rim which is determined by the angularity of the connecting portion l8. Thus it will be manifest that the portions ll overlap the edge portion of the bucket and formed in the overlapped portions is a series of registerin openings 2B and 2! to receive bolts, the heads of which may be countersunk on the inside of the buckets and nuts 22 on the outer side .of the socket. The socket formed by the offset portion I6 is slightly longer than the length of the bucket and the lower edge portions of the bucket are inclined so that normally the bucket is inclined forwardly with respect to the direction of rotation of the digging wheel, the socket being correspondingly inclined as indicated on Figure 2. This structure enables the bucket to be reversed as indicated by the dotted lines Ilia on Figure 2. In'this manner it will be apparent that the rims II are interchangeable and are not conlined only for right or left hand use.

It will thus be'apparent that the buckets are detachably secured to the rim in such manner that the inside oi'the bucket provides no shoulders or ledges which have heretofore been found objectionable in causing-dirt to bridge or otherwise militate against the contents of the bucket being entirely discharged. In order further to assist in completely discharging the bucket load,

the inside slopes gently from the lower edge as indicated at minwardly from opposite sides in a substantially straight line and to a point near the bottom or transverse wall where the sloping or tapering surfaces merge with a curved surface I). This structure is more desirable than that in which the inner walls extend exactly in line with the rim wall because the sloping walls enable dirt to slide oif more freely as will be readily apparent. I

In the alternate form shown on Figures 5 and 6, the rims Ila are similarly provided with gear segments 13a, but in this instance, bucket receiving sockets are formed *at spaced intervals on the rims by welding thereto lugs or plates 23, the weld extending along the lower edge as well as each side edge. As shown, the lug extends a substantial distance beyond the outer edge of the rim and overlaps the bucket Nib, a series of bolts and nuts 24 securing the bucket in place. The inside contour of the bucket is similar to that above described. It will be seen that the inner wall of the bucket is substantially in alignment with the inner wall of the adjacent rim and the bucket and rim are in edge to edge relation.

The outer edges of the bucket lilb conform substantially to the. curvature of the peripheral surface of the rims Na and incline forwardly toward the direction of rotation of the digging wheel. As above explained the dotted line position we of the bucket shows the reverse position, thereby illustrating that same may be differently positioned as for example in the event that the entire digging frame were mounted in a reverse position, a condition made possible by thi structure.

In the form of the invention shown on Figures 8 to 10, cut-outs of substantially the length of each bucket are formed at intervals in the rims lib. This enables the free ends of the buckets Hid to abut in end to end relation with the bottom wall of each cut-out at a point spaced inwardly from the periphery of the rim. Obviously, this will require that the side walls of the bucket be somewhat longer than the walls of the buckets above described in order to have the curvilinear bottom wall spaced outwardly from the rims the same distance. Welded to the outer side of each rim is a plate or lug 25 which covers the cut-out portion and has its outer edge substantially aligned with the adjacent edge or perimeter of the rim. Bolt and nut assemblies 2% retain the bucket in place in a similar manner to that above described. As indicated by the broken lines Hie, the bucket can be reversed as described in connection with the foregoing forms. It will also be observed that the rim lib is provided with asimilar gearsegmerit I3b.

From the above description, it is manifest that we have produced a rim structure for a diggingwheel which can be readily and conveniently manufactured and which is socketed or recessed to receive digging buckets having plain anduninterrupted side walls. This structure is not only quite inexpensive but enables buckets to be mounted securely and easily. It lends itself to more efiicient handling of dirt since the absence of ledges, shoulders, etc. as well as the sloping bucket walls militate against dirt bridging or otherwise being retained within the bucket. On the contrary, the entire load will be readily discharged. Another feature of importance resides in the fact that the rims are notconfined to a particular right'or left hand arrangement but are interchangeable which is most advantageous when repairs in the fieldbecome necessary.

It is to be understood that numerous changes in details of construction, arrangement and operation may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention especially as defined in the appended claims.

What we claim is: r

1. A digging wheel for trenching machinescomprising a pair of laterally spaced substantially parallel rims having segmental gears secured thereto adjacent the inner edge portions thereof, means at the outer edge portion of said rims pro' viding a plurality of spaced. outwardly offset bucket receiving rim sockets, buckets fitting said rim sockets with the inner walls thereof substantially in alignment with the adjacent inner walls of the rims, the buckets inclining forward with respect to the direction of rotation of the wheel and the end walls of the rimsockets are inclined with respect to the bottom walls thereof in substantially the same degree as the inner edge walls of the buckets are inclined to their bottoms to enable reversing the position of the buckets.

2. A digging wheel for trenching machines comprising a pair of laterally spaced substantially parallel rims having gear means secured thereto,

adjacent the inner edge portions thereof, said rims having a plurality of spaced cut-outs at the outer edge portions thereof, buckets mounted in substantially edge to edge relation with the bottom walls of said cut-out portions and with their inner walls substantially flush with the inner walls of said rims, and means including detachable fastening devices for securing the buckets to said rims.

3. A digging wheel for trenching machines comprising a pair of laterally spaced substantially parallel rims having gear means secured thereto adjacent the inner edge portions thereof, said rims having a plurality of spaced cut-outs at the outer edge portions thereof, buckets mounted in substantially edge to edge relation with the bottom walls of said cut-out portions and with their inner walls substantially flush with the inner walls of said rims, and members fixed to the outer side of said rim portions respectively covering said cut-out portions, and fastening devices passing through said members and the adjacent wall of the buckets for securing the latter to the rims.

4. A digging wheel for trenching machines comprising a pair of laterally spaced substantially parallel rims having gear means secured thereto adjacent the inner edge portions thereof, said rims having aplurality of spaced cut-outs at the outer edge portions thereof, buckets mounted in substantially edge to edge relation with the bottom walls of said cut-out portions and with their inner walls substantially flush with the inner walls of said rims, and plates fixedly secured to the outer side of said rims covering said cut-out portions respectively and bolt and nut assemblies passing through said plates and the adjacent bucket walls for detachably securing the buckets in position.

5. A digging wheel for trenching machines comprising a pair of laterally spaced substantially parallel rims having gear means secured thereto adjacent the inner edge portions thereof, said rims having a plurality of spaced cut-outs at the outer edge portions thereof, buckets mounted in substantially edge to edge relation with the bottom walls of said cut-out portions and with their inner walls substantially flush with the inner walls of said rims, plates on the outer side of said rims covering said cut-out portions respectively, said plates being welded to said rims and having their outer edge substantially co-extensive with the adjacent rim edge, and bolt and nut assemblies passing through said plates and the adjacent walls of the buckets for securing the buckets in position.

6. In a digging wheel having a pair of laterally spaced annular rim members and excavating buckets secured respectively to the rim members, each rim member comprising a series of spaced cut-outs in the outer edge portion thereof to receive the adjacent end portion of the bucket, and plate members fixedly secured to the outer face of the rim portion thereby to enable the end portion of the bucket to fit in the respective cut-out with the inner wall of the bucket disposed substantially flush with the inner face of the rim member, and bolt and nut assemblies for securing the plate to the respective bucket.

HUBERT HOLLMANN. WILLIAM G. VAN VOORHIS. 

